New York, NY – Following the State of the State address, advocates from the New York Paid Family Leave Insurance Campaign released the following statement in praise of Governor Cuomo’s commitment to passing paid family leave legislation in 2016:

“With Governor Cuomo’s commitment to passing paid family leave, we are one step closer to ensuring that no New Yorker has to choose between her family’s health and financial security. We applaud the Governor’s leadership on this crucial issue, and look forward to working together with the Governor and state legislature to make paid family leave a reality in 2016.”

New Yorkers should not have to choose between their paycheck and caring for their loved ones. The Paid Family Leave Insurance Act (A.3870 Nolan/S.3004 Addabbo), which passed the Assembly last session, would provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave to bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill family member, and deal with issues that arise when a family member is called to active military service.

The legislation would create a paid family leave insurance benefit that is employee-paid, through small payroll deductions that start at just 45 cents and rise to roughly 88 cents a week over four years. The bill would also modernize New York’s Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) program, the critical support system for new mothers physically recovering from childbirth, which is currently frozen at the 1989 rate of $170 per week. This would mean a small cost shared between employees and employers – one that would not be burdensome for businesses and is woefully overdue.

The New York Paid Family Leave Insurance Campaign consists of a diverse group of women’s organizations, children’s advocates, labor and public health leaders, advocates for seniors and those with chronic disease, and community and faith-based organizations. The New York Paid Family Leave Insurance Campaign’s Steering Committee consists of 1199 SEIU, 32BJ SEIU, A Better Balance, Citizen Action of New York, Community Service Society, New York Civil Liberties Union, New York Paid Leave Coalition, the NYS AFL-CIO, New York Statewide Senior Action Council, and the Working Families Organization.